Characteristics of HIV infection among Hispanics, United States 2003-2006

Hispanic subgroups of varied national origin differ culturally; overall, Hispanics in the United States are disproportionately affected by HIV infection.

We analyzed cases of HIV infection that were diagnosed among Hispanics in 33 states and US-dependent areas during 2003-2006 and reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through June 2007. We used Poisson regression to calculate the estimated annual percent change in the number and rate of HIV diagnoses and used logistic regression to analyze the association between birthplace and a short (<12 months) HIV-to-AIDS interval.

HIV infection was diagnosed among 30,415 Hispanics. Of 24,313 with reported birthplace, 61% were born outside the continental United States. The annual number of diagnoses increased among Mexican-born males [estimated annual percent change = 8.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.5 to 14.5] and Central American-born males (18.6%; 95% CI = 9.4 to 28.6) and females (24.6%; 95% CI = 8.8 to 42.7) but decreased among US-born Hispanic females (-8.2%; 95% CI = -13.3 to -2.8). A short HIV-to-AIDS interval was more common among Mexican-born Hispanics than among US-born Hispanics.

Diagnosis trends and HIV-to-AIDS intervals varied by place of birth. To decrease the incidence of HIV infection among Hispanics, prevention programs need to address cultural differences.